Night Wonders
by techno-digital
Summary: Everyone thinks that the walk on Nurseryland is paved with gold, and when they find out it's not; it's too late. When Alice is hired to stalk a murderer, a wild goosechase is held that stops exactly on the murder of Humpty Dumpty himself. 3 years ago.
1. Campfire

November noted that the leaves were starting to shrivel. He sat on the Chair; so of 'course the pumpkin carved lanterns would burn brightly outside the Circle. He noticed as well that his toes were freezing, but being who he was, November dismissed the annoyance and watched his other siblings be the immature Months they were.

April with her long, curled blond hair and tendency to show too much cleavage, May and his low and long dirty whistles and even little July with her ceaseless irritating cry's of attention. He rubbed his temples, black beard brushing against his black robes; the same color that was his eyes occasionally.

"Tis the season of 'Halloween,'" said December.

November absolutely _loathed _the annoying woman, "Why of course Santa December, why wouldn't it be Halloween?" he tersely replied, fingernails scratching the smooth, cool rich wood.

"Ow!" April screamed slightly when she bit onto her burning sausage, which exploded on impact and cursed quietly, "stupid sausage gonna give me a blister soon enough!" she huffed out. Nodding and thanking December when she threw the blond a pink handkerchief.

"You and your_ language_," January sniffed.

January was a thin man, hovering between his teen years and young adult years. Not that age mattered for him, January was a New Year, impossible ways of age between a three year old and thirty year old could; _would _become possible.

"Don't be mean now January, we both know April signals rebirth so she's twice as sensitive as May," said October, grinning. His blond hair was slicked back with plenty of gel - or so November thought is was gel - and he grinned... sharkily.

May yelled a curse word November didn't quite get. April stayed quiet, surprisingly.

November, well aware of his rank and position on the Chair cleared his throat. Twice.

His rowdy siblings finally quieted down, thankfully. "Who will start?" he muttered loudly. The chair he sat on was just a finely crafted large block of Maplewood with designs of various fauns, cherry's, skulls, pumpkins and so forth imprinted on it. Now, each and every year a Month would sit in the same chair and trade a story (and belive November when the Moths spent more time making up stories and tales than they did Earth. I mean; look at global warming). The other Months would sit on a tree stump, equally apart from the other and bonfire, and exchange stories after the Month on the Chair.

To November, the Chair and the Circle, Months and Seasons were all a load of bullshit. Well, that was his way of seeing it.

Hands shot up and November chose January.

"Hoser," April muttered quietly, January ignored her.

He tapped his chin. "How should I start now?..." he smiled suddenly, which even unnerved the usual jolly December.

He coughed for effect before pausing for a couple of seconds, for effect once again (January did this _every _year for as long as November could see, but not by much, afterall, January _was _the oldest of the Months, and the Seasons as well).

"It was a quiet Sunday night when young lad Archer found the Holy Pail of, " he started, bonfire rising and twisting with every word he uttered, "the Kingdom. Then on that same day, he rode his horse to the castle and-"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait~!" September held up his hand and waved them hurriedly, the fire had stopped and dwindled down to a wee shameful ember.

January glared at the small brunette girl. "Isn't this 'Arthur and the Round Table?' You know, the dude who finds th Holy Grail and the sword Exbarable- or something- and get's accepted in the Knights of the Round Table?"

The Month waved his hand, form shifting to that of a seven year old before sitting down, grumbling. May and April laughed, not bothering to muffle their voices.

"Who's next?" October questioned.

December raised her hand and October nodded at her, but instead of a small tale, she flickered her wrist at a vein-popping November. "It's tradition to start with the Month on the Chair, you know~" she smiled, rosy pink cheek alighting.

November shouted slightly, before regaining his cool composure. Ember almost undistinguishable.

"Well?" March muttered, hands tying her red hair into a small bun while her red eyes shined slightly when a flower near her bloomed (the affect of all three Months of Spring for ya).

"Well, alright then, but as a Month housing the dreaded 'Halloween,'" the rest of the Months either giggled or snorted, much to Novembers contempt, "I shall asure you this story is dark, but then... let us start now."

"Finally!" some Month November was too tired to point up shouted.

The small ember roared to life to a point where it reached the tree-tops, unsurprisingly, and shaped it's heart to a girl sitting on a leather chair fiddling with a small gun. Fit for a story, November lastly noted before moving his mouth and speaking his long and winding tale of a girl trying to find her Wonderful Wonder World.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

There was a girl, _November said, _with a very unfulfilling life and an unhappy one at that. With one elder sister and younger sister {and her being the middle child} she found it hard to move on when her mother had passed on to the after-life. It was especially hard when her younger sister, Edith- _November thought up _- had decided that her elder sister was a cold hard monster when she refused to cry at their own mother's funeral.

Her elder sister? Lorina was what her name was, stole our dear middle child's boyfriend and other friends unintentionally - Lorina didn't even know a damn thing about how she was making her beloved dear little sister's life more miserable.

Her name was Alice. Alice Liddell.

They hurt her, with words or their own unintentional behaviour, and made her forget about the brightness of her life.

Then one day, while Edith was visiting a friend and Alice with Lorina were out in the garden, our dear little girl fell asleep while her sister fetched a deck of cards inside the house.

_November felt quite excited when his sibling's eyes widened._

While Alice dozed off, a small white rabbit came up to her and; still hazy, she felt herself lifted up by the rabbit - who was in fact a man - and was dragged into a hole. Where did it lead to? Why, none other than Wonderland. More specifically the Country of Hearts.

There, our Alice had found 'Roleholders' such as the mafia leader Mad Hatter, the psychotic yet charming Knave of Hearts and the perverted governer White Rabbit. It was a fun but yet dangerous land where she would find her true love sooner or later, for he had a heart while the rest of Wonderlands inhabitants had _clocks_.

But our story doesn't start here, no, it starts after our adorable little girl and her Wonderful Wonder World became twisted.

Wonderland shattered and broke. Now there is no 'Wonderland', but the 'Book'.

That was what they reasoned, and each and every memory of all the Wonderlanders were plucked and they were left; alone and in the dark. For the 'Book' was more dangerous than any Heartland... because you could gain anything and have nothing to lose... absolutely _nothing _to lose...~

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Well, this id the start to my first ever HnKnA story, I wrote chapter two already so it should probrably be up shortly, hope you continue woth reading this~ I know MourningBlack wouldn't (lazy-ass cousin needs a more better hobby XDD), since she helped me kinda with the plot and all (who as well drove me into doing this)~

Thanks a lot to my beta-reader "Know it all hermione," ;)


	2. Big Bad Cat?

_Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,_

_Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,_

_And all the king's horses and all the king's men,_

_Couldn't put Humpty back together again._

Alice fiddled with her gun, pondering over empty thoughts. Not that she could hear herself think anyway, the sound of the water leaking from the walls and constant _rack-rack _from the shutters banging on the windows irked her. Slipping the gun back inside her pocket, she took a sip of her stale coffee.

Again, not that she could actually _do _anything about it, right now thunder bellowed outside and rain fell harder than usual this morning.

"Good for the tourists my ass," she muttered, the flyer was next to her cup of coffee. Wait? She didn't even drink coffee these days.

Alice got up, and walked to the window, looking outside, she inwardly screamed when nobody stood there by the lamppost. Where the hell was her client? Hands drumming softy on the window's glass, Alice counted softly from one to ten, biting her lip out of habit.

A small brown envelope was in her trench pocket, next to the gun and messily covered; with aluminum foil, crackers. The letter had _insisted _that she check into the nearest apartment and wait for the person no matter what happens.

So where in God's name was he?

A knock on the door, Alice turned to see the mail-boy of the agency come toppling in. Brown ears twitching and green eyes wide in alarm. "Mis-Miss Alice, lett-letter," he stuttered, fishing his hand into his pocket, right near the sheath of his gold knife, he took a smudged crumpled piece of paper out and held it for her. Smoothing it out, he looked back quickly.

_Paranoid, _she thought.

"Looks like I have more damn letters to see," Alice grunted out.

Pierce Villiers mumbled something small before handing it to her. About to turn and walk, he wasn't surprised to hear her say- "Stop right there Pierce." - So he did what he found necessary to keep alive; he ran. Faster than he would normally do and slammed the door loudly on the way out.

Alice sighed, shoulders slumping when the footsteps finally cleared. No point in chasing the scared boy anyway. She read the letter twice. Not surprised on what to do but surprised by _who _had hired her.

Alice Liddell, a screwed eighteen year old with a petite nose that could name- without trying; well, without trying _too_ hard anyway -a handful of people who would _love_ to punch it, over and over. A detective by day, and an alcoholic by night. Born in an average family and raised by an average family.

Crumpling the paper back to it's original form, she wasn't surprised when the door burst open.

Alice looked up, eye-to-eye to see a woman walk in. Vivacious curves and a slim body (Alice _could _note and _could _get jealous from time to time) with blond hair that remained curled even when it was dripping wet; like right now. The woman was an estimated 23 years of age, or so Alice guessed.

"Alice Liddell's office?" she spoke, small mouth spewing a voice that would make anyone love-struck and forget their vows. Alice forgot hers to _not _take a job involving a pretty- darn hot one at that -lady at this town.

Alice snorted, "Not my office lady? It's an apartment room." Pointing her index finger at the woman, Alice smiled a smile that clashed with her now personality.

The woman sniffed before speaking low and fast. Gr_eeaa_t, all she needed now was another paranoid person right? "My name is Sierra 'Cleo' Dumpty."

Alice raised her eyebrow, "You the Egg's sister?"

"I'm his _wife_. Three years have passed since my marriage."

"Well who would've known the Egg had a spouse? With him, women and drinking nobody would've guessed." Alice didn't want to hurt anybodies feelings, but words just spilled out and she never regretted what came out time-to-time.

At this point, Alice had seated herself comfortably cross-legged on the queen-sized bed. Hand inside her pocket, fingering the gun and watched carefully.

The blond woman sat down on a nearby chair, sodding the cushion wet. Her orange dress seemed heavy and clung to her body while the many laces seemed to be drowning in water. "It might seem hart to believe," she twisted her facial expression to one of disgust, "but Humpty and I loved each other dearly, even with his... _bad ways_," She strained the last word out.

Alice arched her eyebrow.

"... and because I loved him dearly, I sent him here to get a job my cousin had failed to achieve; as a doctor. But he hasn't come back yet..." she looked at Alice head-on, green eyes blazing and aura increasing.

This was why she hated breaking the news. Tears. And lots of them coming from her view.

She sighed before speaking, "Look Sierra whoever-you-are, your husband's..." she trailed off, unable to really speak when a situation like this would arise. Instead, Alice focused on the booming thunder and the sound of rain outside.

"... Humpty's dead, correct?"

Alice looked back at her to find Sierra glaring at her, face only millimeters apart. A fan held her chin up.

"I'm not an idiot Miss Liddell, I know what has happened to my Dumpty and I know who did it. I repeat, it was _not_ an accident."

Sierra turned while Alice only dumbfounded stared. Slamming the door, Alice grinned slightly in excitement when she felt a photo on her palm. Crunching it up in her fisted hand, she sharkily laughed. The boom of thunder making her jump of the bed and fall face-first on the ground.

"Damn! That was so anti-climatic," she said, rubbing her face with her free hand.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The sun shined on her face, not that that wasn't a surprise. Quite the contrary, she was used to the sun whenever she was broke and slept in a tree or a bench.

Memories of yesterday afternoon seared into her mind flashed and Alice quickly slipped her hand into her trench pocket, relieved and smiling slightly when the unfamiliar feel of the wrinkled paper and lament came into contact with her skin.

Taking her hand out, she rubbed her now-eighteen-year-old blue eyes and yawned briskly. Pumping her hands up in the air, she stretched. The various resonating rhythmical cracks felt like utter bliss after a hard sleep on a bench.

"It's the switcheroo-magoo!"

Alice's eye twitched when she heard the familiar nickname.

"You know, "switcheroo-magoo," as in a cup of wine and she's all drunk. Never could handle her alcohol~"

The rumor had started at a local bar_, Reel-and-Win, _when a band of thugs had let one of their minions replace the bartender and he'd slip sleeping powder in her drink. Might she add very strong powder each day until she caught them; might she add again, in a very drunk way.

That of which shall not be uttered again.

Alice stood up and walked away from the now quarreling kids.

Looking back at yesterday, Alice couldn't help but want to bang her head on the wall remembering what she had to do. Admittedly, it would be tiring, but there was no escape a grand ball of cash waiting to be spent.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

She was tired, yes, but the sun was in it's peak and Alice wasn't getting any younger right now. Looking up, a red bird fluttered lazily in the open sky. Once, Alice had dreamed of flying - but now it seemed that flying in the open was too... _open? Revealing? _Whatever it was, right now she wouldn't ever want to be in the open sky with predators just waiting to spring.

But after all, she was the predator.

Walking more hurriedly, Alice spotted a group by the side-walk. An abandoned shop behind the small band.

"How's the day Cat?" Alice shouted over the yelling group.

The band of people stopped, took a good look of her and ran. Mumbling "officials here," just by Alice's hearing distance.

What seemed to be the main attraction stopped and huffed. "My name's Boris, Alice, B-O-R-I-S Airay! When can you get that through your thick head?" he questioned annoyingly.

To Alice, the long-time nickname suited him, she would always say. Holding her hands up to her chest, she shook them while smiling. "This thick head stopped a pair of thieves," she smirked in an annoying way - to Boris that is, "-... when they stole all your money, remember Cat?"

He grinned playfully, annoyance forgotten.

"Well what do you want Alice? A gun? Money? You know you're still in debt to me~" he picked a small bracelet from his collection on the ground. Shiny objects always captured his interests.

Alice looked him up and down. A tuxedo striped pant and black "Got Milk?" (This made Alice chuckle mentally) T-shirt on. Ignoring what Boris had just said, she bent down to his height and plucked the photo from her pocket and handed it to him. She watched the corner of her eyes carefully.

"Hnn?"

"Guess the Big Bad Wolf really has an interest like a cat?"

He sighed, not unfolding the photo just yet. "Alice, I've told you a billion times, I'm _not _the Wolf anymore. I'm Boris, Boris Airay. And Little Red died remember, and I wasn't the one who killed her. But you know _who _did."

Alice shrugged, before coolly exhaling.

"We both know that I know the murderer and we both know that it's best to stay quiet, even now Humpty has... apprentices. Most probably cannibals at that," here, she grinned in a strained manner, "- and it's Humpty I want to talk to you about, you ever hear he got a wife?"

Boris stared at the folded picture than back at Alice. Realization struck him and he threw it, Alice only catching it in time. "Heard the Big Guy ain't got no family, let alone a wife. And now you need info right? Well though luck Alice, after the egg gunned down Red, I ain't having nothin' to do with him anymore," he tersely said.

Alice unfolded the photo and held it high up for him, drops of dirty water from the gutter above her splashing her shoulder.

His eyes widened.

"What you're playing is a dangerous game Alice."

"The green stuff is high Boris, and I need the cash. And it's for a pretty lady too, not that I'm gay or anything."

He slumped down.

"..."

"... or I can just ask Archer for help~..."

Boris leaped up, bangs covering his left eye hazily. Amber eyes burned with intense rage, _hook, line and stinker_, and he yelled. "If you dare ask that Archer I swear I'll never help you again Alice!"

Alice smiled. Was it just her, or did she use her mouth more regularly?

"Well alright Cat, but I _do _need Villiers and Archer's help for this case."

"Do they have to come?"

"You're coming with me? What about your vows of 'I ain't having nothin' to do with the Egg?'"

Boris gripped is hair and looked as though he wanted to rip them off his scalp. Alice always did annoy him at the lengths of time- but hey! -that's what he loved about her. This was just like with Red's incident. The love of his life dying and there Alice was, mending and repairing him.

Looking up at the sky, refusing to meet eye-to-eye, paws still clutching his hair he muttered low enough for Alice to hear. "Alright then, but that doesn't mean I'll like it."

He could _hear _Alice grinning.

"Well hurry up Cheshire Cat, let's go, my shoulders already soggy~!"

He tipped his head to the side in wonder. Did he just hear her say _Cheshire Cat_? Ah well, there were better things to do anyway. Picking up the various shiny goods on the floor, he packed them into his duffel bag and stopped for a moment.

This was _supposed _to be a grand sale, and yet, he didn't sell anything.

"DAMN YOU ALICE!"

Yup, this was why he loved her.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Yay! Next chapter will introduce "Archer"~! And I want to thank the reviewers who have helped me write this fic!

**RosaRena**

**octicy**

**oreocookiesrock (sorry if I misspelled D:)**

**past face**

**Somewhere Nowhere**

Thanks a lot guys! I hope you still read from here because it's just getting good. The characters are a bit OOCish because of the plot, but in the first chapter November had said that each memory of the Wonderlander's had been plucked correct? Well since the 'Book' is more dangerous, wouldn't it be reasonable to adapt to it?

Well, sorry if this chapter sucked, but I'm really psched on writing chapter 3!


	3. Arrows shoot horizontally

**Finally finished with this work :P I give my thanks to the awesome beta-reader who has helped me with this piece of junk I call a fic XD Right now, on with the show! Also, I might need suggestions on Blood's personality~ Anybody willing to help? PM me or send it on a review :) **

* * *

"Hey!" January shouted from his tree stump, standing up hastily. "I came up with the name Archer!"

September grinned before speaking, her light hair frolicking in the wind. "You didn't come up with that name, ya know~ It was a simple, pathetic excuse to plagiarize "Arthur and the Round Table" just like how you plagiarized the story with the purple dinosaur you named "Marney" jackass."

January turned to the seemingly aged ten-year old and shouted, "That's not true you little good-for-nothing bitch! Now stop interrupting your elder brother!"

November mentally kicked himself. Just adding fuel to the fire.

September rose, her cheery green eyes were glaring daggers. "Heads up oh-so noble one, I'm ten while you're _seven_!" She dragged the last word out low and slow.

January was about to retort, the grass under his feet turning a dreaded brown when October had silenced them.

"ENOUGH!" Shouting, October raised his hands up in the air, a cold gust of wind blew at them. The bonfire was still high and mighty, but the image inside it's hearth went murky, blurred and  
unrecognizable.

November decided he better stop the scuffle and continue with his tale to get this dumb get-together over with. He started, not caring that the wind was still blowing strongly and that everyone was still fixated on the two arguing siblings.

The bonfire's hearth focused back on the image of the Detective and the Wolf.

"And so," November shouted over the wind; capturing most of the Month's attention, "Alice and Boris marched to the place where they knew, although reluctantly, they could get help; All the Kings horses and All the Kings men... the cops of the 'Book'."

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Archer Sparrow scoped his room before dialling the combination to his safe. He opened it and found pretty much nothing except for a small photo album. Retrieving it, he felt the worn spine and torn cover before slamming the door to the safe closed.

His office door creaked and Archer smelt the familiar smell of the outside world. The world behind his mask.

"Fine evening ain't it Archer Sparrow?"

Archer turned around, nearly dropping his glass photo frame. Cuddling it up to his chest, he wasn't surprised to see Alice and the Wolf there. After all, his lackeys had had been gossiping about the two lately.

And he couldn't help but feel... odd and twisted.

Alice fiddled with the purple feather boa slung around her neck; the same boa she stole from Boris' duffel bag.

He gripped the photo harder. Taking a step to his left, he found the Wolf with his small ears folded against his scalp. _Just like a cat's, _Archer thought dimly.

"Well, what can I do for a couple of hard detectives?"

"You know," Alice questioned. Her naivety always amused him. Walking forward to his seat, he set the frame flat-down on the table and took a seat on his leather recliner. Pushing it back, Archer smiled. Crimson eyes hidden behind his mask clashing with the Wolf's.

Alice slumped and walked to the bookcase to her right. Her finger trailed on each book's spine and she murmured the titles aloud.

Dragging his hand through his russet locks, Archer couldn't help but feel pleased and yet cautious as to why they were here. Using the same hand, he flipped a small hollow wooden gnomes head open and pressed a button.

Boris's glare intensified. "We ain't a danger Archer."

He laughed. For no utter reason.

"You as a danger is like believing Alice will solve the _accident _involving Dumpty's case~ Aren't I right Alice?" He looked to his left and saw the girl sitting on the floor, mumbling to herself. She seemed to be ignoring them, but Archer knew better.

"Huh? Whazzat?"

Boris gritted his teeth before walking slowly to the chief of the cops. He was a danger, and Big Bad Wolf knew that the chief should have been called Big Bad Archer as a nickname. _Not _Archer as in ace for his archery skills.

"Well, there's someone that believes the Egg was murdered. His wife, Sierra 'Meo' Dumpty or whatever her middle name was, Ace."

"Well, by the looks of it, I don't think I would be of much help and all~"

"You have the files connecting to his murder don't you?"

"I LIKE CAT'S!"

Archer smiled when Boris nearly jumped at the wrong statement. He watched from the corner of his eyes; a fine trick he learned in his elementary years of school. There Alice was, holding a book and slamming it on the floor.

Boris's surprised look turned into one of anger. "What did you do to her!"

"Nothing~" Archer stood up and walked to the cross-legged girl. Mask reflecting the sun's ray when it hit.

Alice looked up, straight eye contact with Boris. "What do you mean; "What have you done to her!" Boris? This is how I always act whenever I'm near Archer. He gives me the heebie-jeebies so I act like an idiot to distract myself."

Archer laughed, Alice laughed, Boris threw the nearest object at the two. His duffel bag.

Archer caught it with his hand. Still laughing along with Alice. "This never gets old does it Alice?"

She nodded, throwing the book weakly to Boris. It landed right in front of him, a few centimetres from his boots. On the cover, the title read, "~Ways to Annoy New People~" And below was; "Written by Archer Sparrow and Alice Liddell."

Boris's eyebrow twitched and he kicked the book back to them. He grumbled something insulting out and stomped out the door, not caring for his duffel bag.

Archer picked up the book, and in that instant the two stopped laughing. "I love a good joke but this isn't about that correct? You just want the Wolf outta' danger right? Well, where we going to now? Let me guess, the Queen's right?"

Alice stood up and brushed the dust of her trench coat. The boisterous atmosphere only shielded the growing tension. She leaned on the wall, her long hair was tied into a single braid. "How long has it been since you last took that mask off?"

"I don't know, been long possibly."

"Three years."

"This is what I don't like about people, they ask and yet know the answer~" he walked back to his table and held the photo album. Opening it, he leafed through the various pictures. "It's odd really, I wonder what Alex is doing now?"

He _heard _Alice's mood shift to irritation and impatience.

"I thought I told you not to mention him again Archer. Or I'll mention _**him**_."

He smiled, and again, for no utter reason. "But where's the fun in that?"

"There's none and I came here for business, not to chat about history"

"Well I want to chat about the past, but alas, we'll just have to skip on ahead correct? Alice, please take note that this conversation is getting nowhere. Humpty's death was an accident, you should be more knowledgeable. After he fell of the wall-,"

"You mean after he was pushed," Alice snarled.

Ace sighed and stopped for a moment before continuing. "- we rushed to him in a second and we just couldn't repair him alright."

Alice was still leaning on the wall. She soaked up whatever Archer was saying, but right now she was doubting herself. The cool, brash attitude she used on confronting Archer was a fake. She did believe that Humpty's death was an accident, and she believed that Sierra 'Cleo' Dumpty wasn't the Fat man's wife...

The sudden thought of yesterday flashed into her mind.

Her client.

The one she was waiting for... and it all linked.

Alice ran, ignoring the smile alighting on Archer's face and just kept on running. Back to where it all started; back to the Mockingbird and Hen's, five years ago.

She felt the wind in her face, she ran past Boris sitting on one of the bench's- chatting with a fellow policeman, past the sliding doors, past the band of thugs that always sat by the bend of the junction. Past a couple making out.

Her hair was a curtain behind her. Blue eyes wide and hand picking out her gun from her pocket, she threw the trenchcoat off and felt the wind pierce her dark blue dress.

_Run, run Alice. Catch your Wonderful Wonder World~_

Everything was falling to place. Distraction, Alice wanted to hit her head on a wall, everything was a distraction. Sierra was probably some con or criminal; well, whatever she was there was no turning back now, she was fooled.

Alice could hear Boris's shouts of- "Stop Alice!" -clearly. But no, whoever her client was, she had to get to him/her. Whoever it was.

Passing the same bench she spent the night in, Alice ran faster. Her skin felt hot, fire-hot needles poking her and her chest felt it was smashed and pressed by a truck. By now, her tongue was out and she was panting.

_Just like dog, you'll always be able to find your Wonderland... but will it welcome you? Why don't you find out Alice?  
_

_Curiouser and curiouser~  
Closer and closer~  
Find, find!  
Your Wonderful Wonder World Alice~_

She stopped and hunched over, hands gripping her knees tightly. Her shoes weren't built for running, nor was the dress but Alice had thought it looked cute and purchased it from a pair of twins on the way to the station.

"Alice, what's going on?"

Boris's yells were distant and she almost couldn't hear his words, but Alice could tell if she didn't lose him now who knew how hurt he could get.

She smiled for a moment before grabbing the ribbon on her head and tying it hurriedly to the apartment door. She felt pride burst into her chest at her handiwork, Alice could never really tie, especially shoe-laces.

* * *

_"Humpty? Didn't I tell you that Rapunzel lives in that castle? We could ask help from her!"_

_"You're right Alice! We should go there! Next, we'll get eaten by the three-headed dog she has for a pet!"  
_

_"At least I had an idea!"_

_"..."_

_"Well?"_

_"Shush! I think he hears us, let's just go to the tower already!"_

_

* * *

_

Alice turned and ran, to the lamppost where her client and her were supposed to meet. The letter to the spot was written neatly, she read it over and over again before stopping. Alice could just make out a memory of when Humpty first came here.

As a young boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Flashing white teeth and a god given face to die for, Alice was smitten by his looks. I mean, come on, wasn't everybody? She remembered sitting in the front row of his admirers and watching the thirteen year old flick his wrists and his mice would perform tricks.

It was a beautiful day.

And yet, the memory itself felt unreal and hazy. What was it that irked her for some reason?

"ALICE?"

Alice heard Boris and jogged soundlessly behind the small building. Taking shelter there, she peeked over the edge to see him hastily tear the ribbon off and leap inside, shouting and terrorizing some of the tourists.

Gripping the paper tightly, Alice bit her lip and prodded the deepest doors of her sub-consciousness.

* * *

_"I love how lush your hair is Alice! Tell me, is it naturally black?"_

_"Nah, Humpty helped me! He's a real nice guy! Next time we come, I think I heard him mumble something about bringing the Chief of the Kings horses and Kings men brigade. And my hair isn't nearly as compatible with your long, blonde hair! Not to mention you're a beautiful sixteen year old girl."_

_"Really?"_

_"You bet it Rapunzel! And by the way, where's your prince?"_

_

* * *

_

Alice felt like crying right now.

What was wrong with her? Cry? It sounded kiddy, but Alice really felt like it; right now she was lost. Just like before, just like with the "M" case. A tear, she looked back down to her arm to see the letter tearing.

... that was it, her answer.

"I can't believe I was _this _close to losing it!"

Holding it up horizontally, her eyes widened for the umpteenth time. That was it, her jack-pot! She struck gold! Now to find out what it meant... but first it was time to find Sierra.

**L O N G B R A I D**

_

* * *

"Big Bad Wolf, what are you doing here?"_

_"Searching for that damn bitch Red! And what are you doing here Alice? I couldn't even tell with that black hair of yours~"_

_"It's not nice to swear and my hairs a natural black you know, I'm proud of it. And, uh, Wolf, your skirts up by the teensy way."_

_"Wha-WHAT!"_

_

* * *

_

Does anybody notice him?

Not quite. Does anybody even care for him? He wasn't really sure but there was one thing Julius Monrey hated most- it was being stuck in this cruddy tower. Where oh where was his prince in shining armour.

Oh wait, that was Archer; but now... Julius couldn't help but feel scared in his long blue frilly dress, because every night **he **came. He was a horror, and Julius only knew one person that could calm him down. The bad thing? He wasn't even sure who the girl was.

All he knew was the fact that her name was Alice. Alice Liddell.

Archer and **_him_**. They were the same people, Julius noted while gritting his teeth. The familiar call of _**his**_ laughter from below; he was doing his job- guarding the tower, sent shivers up his spine. He turned and sat on the queen sized bed. This was all that stupid Egg's fault.

For three years he'd been up here, stuck, and where in the God's name was the egg? Probably in some club drinking beer and playing with women.

His hand raked the soft wood. Getting up, he marched to his closet and picked out his usual work uniform. It was comfortable and nice, so why not? Walking hurriedly to the toilet, loud banging and an "ouch" echoed out. Three minutes later Julius came out rubbing a small bruise on his head.

Slipping his glasses' on, Julius hoisted a life-sized doll onto his workbench. "Well Sierra, guess it's only a waiting game now," he sighed. Grabbing a pair of scissors, he sheared open the front of the doll and inseted his hand in.

A golden clock was gripped in his hand.

The only thing to do now... wait for his prince (or princess) to come and save him. Well, there were dolls to make to make for time to go faster at least...

* * *

I'm finally done! Does anyone know how grueling that was? Well, right now all I can say is that I have A LOT of plot-twists up my sleeve. I want to write them now... but I guess I shouldn't... hey, umm, just a quick think and all; should I change **Night Wonder's genres to Mystery/Romance? Or should it stay as Crime/Romance?**


End file.
